Authentic Science Fiction Monthly No. 71 — page 133: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AUTHENTIC SCIENCE FICTION and looked around himalertly. Carefully, he disconnected the wires, packed the instruments —and then called a bailiff. As he had expected, no one questioned the actions of the Great Judge. It was the work of an hour to drive to the apartment of Douglas Aird— and at the same time return the personality of the Science” Investigator into its proper body. As a precaution, he had the Science Investigator taken to a hospital. “Keep him there for three days under observation,” he commanded. Back at the Great Judge’s Court, he spent the next few days cautiously fitting himself into the pleasant routine of a life of absolute power. He had a thousand plans for altering a police state into a free state, but as a scientist he _ was sharply aware of the need for orderly transition. It was at the end of a week that he inquired casu- 132. ally about a traitor named Douglas Aird. The story was interesting. The man _ had, it seemed, attempted to escape. | He had flown some five hun- dred miles in an unregistered hopjet before being grounded by a local patrol. Immediately . he fled into the mountains. When he failed to report on | the morning of the day set ~ for his execution, the printed » instrument on his right arm was activated. Shortly before dusk, a tired, distracted, stag- gering scarecrow of a man, screaming that he was the Great Judge, appeared in a mountain patrol station. The execution was then carried out with no further delay. The report concluded: “Seldom in the experience — of the attending patrol officers has a condemned man ap- proached the converter with so much reluctance.” The Great Judge, sitting at his desk in the luxurious court, could well believe it. conmiclsooks.conn